The day has finally arrived, as the veteran players for the Oakland Raiders will descend on Napa to kick off the 2019 training camp schedule.
The Oakland Raiders will officially kick off the 2019 training camp schedule today, as the veteran report to Napa. This is a season filled with hope as the team went out and added some quality players this offseason, including arguably the best wideout in the game, a solid offensive tackle, as well as depth on both sides of the ball.
Coming off a four-win season in 2018, there is only one way to go, and general manager Mike Mayock appears to be building something special in Oakland. This will be the team’s last season in the Bay Area, as the new stadium in Las Vegas is coming along nicely, but it may not be the team’s last training camp in Napa.
Paul Gutierrez from ESPN posted that the Raiders will likely stay in Napa for the 2020 training camp, despite the fact that the 2020 season will be their first in Las Vegas. They have an option to stay in Napa for another year, and they plan on using it.
Heading into the 2019 training camp, there are plenty of key positional battles to keep an eye on, as the Raiders get ready for Year No. 2 in the second Jon Gruden era. There were some bright spots last season, despite the fact the team won so few games, but as is the case every summer, the slate has been wiped clean.
Derek Carr returns for his sixth season as the starting quarterback in Oakland, and he is fresh off his first 4,000-yard season in 2018. His main target will be none other than Antonio Brown, who has gone over 1,000 yards, and caught over 100 balls in his last six seasons in a row.
On defense, there has been upgrades on all three levels, but the secondary will be crucial, led by former first rounders Karl Joseph and Gareon Conley. The Raiders take on some of the best quarterbacks in the league in 2019, including Patrick Mahomes, Andrew Luck, Aaron Rodgers, Deshaun Watson, Matthew Stafford, and Philip Rivers.
Remember, we are going to get an up close and personal look at training camp this season, as the Silver and Black will be featured on HBO’s Hard Knocks. There are plenty of storylines as we kick off the 2019 training camp schedule, and on Saturday, the team will have their first full practice as a full unit.